Methods and systems for managing simulated real-time conversations

ABSTRACT

Methods and systems for managing real-time conversations include are disclosed. In one or more examples, an audio response selected from among a plurality of selectable audio responses associated with a call script may be communicated to a caller. The call script can include a number of segments, and the segments may be associated with the selectable audio responses. In addition to the selectable audio response being communicated to the caller, background sound may also be mixed with the communicated audio response and communicated to the caller. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also included.

PRIORITY CLAIM

The present Application for Patent is a continuation application fromU.S. application Ser. No. 13/266,009 filed Oct. 24, 2011, which is anational stage entry claiming the benefit of PCT Application No.PCT/US2011/028816 filed on Mar. 17, 2011, which claims the benefit ofU.S. Provisional Application No. 61/315,011 filed Mar. 18, 2010, each ofwhich is hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to conversation management, and moreparticularly to managing conversations between a customer and a customercontact center.

BACKGROUND

The statements in this section merely provide background informationrelated to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.

Customer contact centers are utilized in many different and diverseorganizations for exchanging information between the enterprise and thecustomers. Customer contact centers, e.g., call centers, have emerged asone of the most important and dynamic areas of a successful businessstrategy. In many enterprises, contact centers represent a maininterfacing point between a customer and the enterprise, handlingincoming and outgoing calls from and to its customers in support of itsoperations. For example, telemarketing businesses utilize contactcenters to make outgoing calls to market and sell the company'sproducts. Service and products businesses utilize contact centers for avariety of purposes including dispatch of account information to acustomer, maintenance of the company's goods or services, and trackingof product shipments by customers. Contact centers are additionallyutilized as an effective method for informational collection for poolingand research oriented organizations.

Contact centers are typically used wherever a large number of calls mustbe handled for some common enterprise. Typically, the calls of theenterprise are routed through the contact center as a means ofprocessing the calls. A contact center will have a telephone systemwhich may be as simple as a small single-line phone, increasing incomplexity up to a large multi-node PBX. A contact center preferablyincludes a computerized system for tracking, logging and recording calldetails. The contact center may have no operators or agents, or it mayhave many, depending on call volume and level of customer interaction.One application of a contact center uses automated audio responsesystems for general predetermined informational exchanges between thecustomer and the contact center and reserves agents for answeringquestions the customer may have.

A contact center preferably monitors agent performance in an interactionwith a caller to maintain a high level of customer satisfaction and tokeep an acceptable call completion rate by each agent. To simplify andadd consistency to call handling, agents are often provided with writtencall scripts to follow during conversations with customers. While suchcall scripts improve call completion rates and customer satisfaction,they may prove ineffective in the case of a customer who asks questionsor otherwise does not allow the agent to follow the prepared script.

Contact centers can utilize automated audio response systems to provideprerecorded audio in response to a customer input. Utilizing automatedaudio response systems can improve adherence to a call script by forcingselection of only the predetermined prerecorded audio responses. Use ofthe audio response systems lessens reliance on agent-operators toadminister the call script and decreases costs associated with thecontact center. However, use of the audio response system can frustratecustomers seeking information not available from the call script anddecrease customer satisfaction among customers seeking personalizedassistance. Accordingly, a need exists for a way of making presentationsto the customer that shares the efficiency of an audio response systemwith the personalization of an agent-operator. This combination enablesnew levels of automation and customer satisfaction in the customerservice center by engaging users in intuitive, intelligent, andconstructive interaction, and enabling organizations to increase serviceefficiency, and reduce call time for customer informational exchangesand transactions.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF SOME EXAMPLES

The following summarizes some aspects of the present disclosure toprovide a basic understanding of the discussed technology. This summaryis not an extensive overview of all contemplated features of thedisclosure, and is intended neither to identify key or critical elementsof all aspects of the disclosure nor to delineate the scope of any orall aspects of the disclosure. Its sole purpose is to present someconcepts of one or more aspects of the disclosure in summary form as aprelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

Various examples and implementations of the present disclosure includeprocessing systems providing a service to an agent-operator. Accordingto at least one embodiment, such systems may include a processor and amemory. Such systems may further be programmed via executable programinstruction to perform a method. In at least one embodiment, suchmethods may include obtaining a plurality of selectable audio responsesassociated with a call script, where the call script includes a numberof segments, and where the segments are associated with the selectableaudio responses. A caller may be interacted with, and an audio responseselected from among the plurality of selectable audio response may becommunicated to the caller together with background sound mixed with thecommunicated audio response.

Additional embodiments of the present disclosure include methodsoperational at an agent workstation for managing real-timeconversations. In at least one implementation, such methods includeinteracting with a caller. An audio response selected from among aplurality of selectable audio responses associated with a call scriptmay be communicated to the caller, where the call script includes anumber of segments, and where the segments are associated with theselectable audio responses.

In at least one additional implementation, such methods may includecommunicating with a contact center via a communications device. Thecontact center may utilize a call script including a number of segments,where the segments are associated with a number of nodes, and where thenodes are associated with a number of prerecorded audio responses. Aprerecorded audio response may be received from the contact center, aswell as background sound mixed with the prerecorded audio response.

Yet further embodiments of the present disclosure includeprocessor-readable storage mediums storing processor-executableprogramming. According to at least one embodiment, theprocessor-executable programming may cause a processing circuit toaccess a plurality of selectable audio responses associated with a callscript, where the call script comprises a number of segments, and wherethe segments are associated with the selectable audio responses. Theprocessor-executable programming may further cause a processing circuitto communicate to a caller an audio response selected from among theplurality of selectable audio responses, as well as background soundmixed with the communicated audio response.

Other aspects, features, and embodiments associated with the presentdisclosure will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the artupon reviewing the following description in conjunction with theaccompanying figures.

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 schematically shows an exemplary contact center management systemincluding a telephony server signally connected to a publiccommunications network, in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of a graphical user interface foran agent-operator, in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary state transition graph to illustrate functionsof a call script, in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 shows a control scheme for managing a real-time conversation witha caller, in accordance with the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings, wherein the depictions are for thepurpose of illustrating certain exemplary embodiments only and not forthe purpose of limiting the same, FIG. 1 schematically shows a contactcenter management system 10 including a telephony server 12 signallyconnected to a public communications network 18 that have beenconstructed in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. Thepublic communications network 18 includes digital and analogcommunication capabilities for telephony and internet connections, asone skilled in the art will recognize. The telephony server 12 isconnected to a telephony switch (PBX) 20 configured to signally connectthe telephony server 12 with the public telephony network 18. The publiccommunications network 18 signally connects a caller to the telephonyserver 12 via the telephony switch 20. The caller may utilize any one ofa number of known communication devices 7 to communicate with thetelephony server 12 and contact center such as cellular devices,satellite devices, computer-based communication applications,broadband-based devices, and VOIP-based devices. The telephony server 12is illustrated in FIG. 1 and described herein as including discretecomponents, however, one skilled in the art will recognize that thefunctions performed by the telephony server 12 may be implemented in oneor more stand-alone devices. For example, the telephony switch 20 isillustrated as a component of the telephony server 12, however, itshould be recognized that the functions performed by the telephonyswitch 20 may be implemented in one or more stand-alone devices signallyconnected to the telephony server 12.

The telephony server 12 additionally includes a control module 5,storage mediums comprising non-volatile memory including read onlymemory and electrically programmable read only memory, random accessmemory, a high speed clock, analog to digital and digital to analogcircuitry, and input/output circuitry and devices and appropriate signalconditioning and buffer circuitry. The storage mediums are preferablyconfigured to store, access, and modify structured or unstructureddatabases for data including, for example, relational data, tabulardata, audio/video data, and graphical data. The storage mediums areconfigured to store, access, and modify a database 28. In oneembodiment, the database 28 may be implemented in one or morestand-alone devices such as in a remote and/or separate server system.

The control module 5 is preferably a general-purpose microprocessor orcentral processing unit and has a set of control algorithms, comprisingresident program instructions and calibrations stored in thenon-volatile memory and executed to provide the desired functions. Asone skilled in the art will recognize, the control module 5 executesfunctions in accordance with an operating system. The algorithms arepreferably executed during preset loop cycles. Algorithms are executedby the central processing unit and are configured to monitor inputs fromthe telephony switch 20 and the network interface modules 15 and executecontrol routines to control operation of the telephony switch 20 and thenetwork interface modules 15. Loop cycles may be executed at regularintervals during ongoing operation. Alternatively, algorithms may beexecuted in response to occurrence of an event. The description of thecontrol module 5 is meant to be illustrative, and not restrictive to thedisclosure.

The telephony switch 20 is controllable by the telephony server 12 via aserver system application 24 and configured to make, break or changeconnections between telephone lines in order to establish, terminate, orchange a telephone call path. The telephony switch 20 can be a privatebranch switch and may be one of any number of known switches. Thetelephony switch 20 is preferably configured to provide networkinformation such as ANI (answer number identification, also known asCaller Line Identification (CLI)) and DNI (dialed numberidentification). In one embodiment, the telephony switch 20 isconfigured to perform intelligent dialing functions and to transfercalls as requested by the server system application 24. The telephonyswitch 20 is illustrated in FIG. 1, and described herein as comprising adiscrete element. Such illustration is for ease of description and itshould be recognized that the functions performed by the telephonyswitch 20 may be combined in one or more devices, e.g., implemented insoftware, hardware, and/or application-specific integrated circuitry.For example, the telephony switch 20 may be implemented as one or morealgorithms in the control module 5.

The telephony server 12 additionally includes one of more networkinterface modules 15 configured to interface between outside telephoneor network lines including e.g., E-carrier and/or T-carrier lines, inone embodiment, and the telephony switch 20. Incoming electric signalscarried by the E-carrier and/or the T-carrier lines are converted by thenetwork interface modules 15 to a predetermined protocol e.g., TCP/IP,SIP, UDP, RTP for transmission to agent workstations 24, a server systemapplication 24, and the control module 5. Outgoing communications fromthe telephony server 12 are converted by the network interface modules15 to a predetermined protocol adaptable for transmission to thecommunications network 18. Additionally, the telephony server 12 in oneembodiment is configured to receive requests for information andtransmit information through use of the hypertext transfer protocol(HTTP). In one embodiment, one or more network interface modules arecommunicatively connected to a LAN 30 to communicate with one of moreagent workstations 14.

The telephony server 12 is configured to operate any one of a number ofserver systems including proprietary and open source system solutions,for example, Apache (Apache Software Foundation; Forest Hill, Md.) orInternet Information Server (“IIS”; Microsoft Corporation; Redmond,Wash.). The telephony server 12 in one example works in cooperation withone or more additional components including a system interface andadministration module 22 and a server system application 24. The systeminterface and administration module 22 may be implemented using a webapplication framework. Examples of web application frameworks are Rubyon Rails (created by David Heinemeier Hansson;http://www.rubyonrails.org/), ASP.NET (Microsoft Corporation; Redmond,Wash.), Java and J2EE (Sun Microsystems, Inc.; Santa Clara, Calif.), PHP(“PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor”, www.php.net), and Django(www.djangoproject.com). In one embodiment, the system interface andadministration module 22 is configured to log operational statistics ofthe telephony switch 20 into the database 28 including, e.g., callduration, receiver connection address, and caller connection address.The system interface and administration module 22 providesadministrative access and tools to manage, monitor, and create callscripts. The system interface and administration module 22 isadditionally configured to manage predetermined administrative functionsof the server system application 24 including, e.g., user accounts andSIP settings. The system interface and administration module 22 alsoprovides a number of reporting tools for monitoring the agent-operatorsand dialer performance, and access to call scripts.

The server system application 24 manages functional aspects of thetelephony server 12 including managing the database 28, managinginteractions between the caller, the telephony server 12, and the agentworkstations 14, and monitoring and controlling the telephony switch 20.The server system application 24 includes event-based networking controlenabling event-driven interactions between the caller, the telephonyserver 12, and the agent workstations 14. The server system application24 is configured to manage connections between the telephony server 12and the agent workstations. The server system application 24 preferablyincludes an inbound call manager to connect calls to an agent-operatorif one is available, and send the call to a voicemail recorderotherwise. The server system application 24 is further configured tocommunicate with the agent workstations using one or more protocols orprocesses. In one embodiment, the server system application 24communicates with the agent workstations using a serialization process,i.e., converting selected objects and types into strings of digital datafor reconstituting on the receiving end. The server system application24 is additionally configured for remote method calls, i.e., affecting alocal object to execute a method on an agent workstation. The serversystem application 24 manages the database 28 including executingreading and writing functions. The server system application 24 and thedatabase 28 may be configured for object-relational mapping in oneembodiment. In one embodiment, server system application 24 processesrequests from the agent workstations to present a prerecorded responsestored on the database 28 to a caller.

Agent-operator workstations 14 are preferably general-purpose digitalcomputers comprising resident program instructions and calibrationsstored in the non-volatile memory and executed to provide the respectivefunctions of each computer. In one embodiment, the agent workstationsare personal computers equipped with memory, hard drive, input devicesincluding e.g., a keyboard, mouse, microphone, and headphones, in oneembodiment, and a visual display unit. Audio channels transmitted to theheadphones, in one embodiment, may be agent controlled or softwarecontrolled. For example, a first audio channel to the left speaker inthe headphones may broadcast audio associated with a first call, while asecond audio channel to the right speaker in the headphones maybroadcast audio associated with a second call. In this way, the agentmay listen to two conversations simultaneously. Additionally, asdescribed herein, in one embodiment the agent may control the audiochannels via software options on the workstation. For example, the agentmay select which call is transmitted to both speakers of the headphones,while the second call is not transmitted. Audio channels transmitted tothe headphones may also be dependent on agent progression through a callscript, and/or agent movement from a viewing area to a second viewingarea on a graphical user interface. For example, progression to apredetermined segment in a call script may automatically switch oneaudio feed for another based upon user input position, e.g., mousepointer position, or other means for indicating an agent's interest in aviewing area to switch audio channels.

The visual display unit may include touch screen capabilities for userinput. The workstations may be configured for internet access via thecommunications network 18, internet service provider, and/or local areanetwork, using a network card e.g., an Ethernet card. The workstationsare configured to operate any suitable operating system includingproprietary and open source solutions, wherein the operating system isconfigured to operate a software application for administering a callscript as described herein below. As shown in FIG. 1, the agentworkstations may be connected to the telephony server 12 via a localarea network or connected through the internet using, e.g., thecommunications network 18. In one embodiment, the agent workstations areconfigured with a softphone for telephony communications routed throughthe telephony server 12 using one of multiple protocols including, e.g.,SIP. The agent workstations are configured to record and, in oneembodiment, store recordings by an agent-operator for subsequentpresentation to a caller as described herein below.

Each workstation is equipped with a graphical user interface enablingmonitoring and functional control of system operations including accessto a call script and associated data and text fields to recordinformation from a caller. Data received from a caller may be stored inthe database 28 on the telephony server 12 or stored on the workstationfor later upload to the telephony server 12. In one embodiment, the datais collected and recorded according to predetermined template filesassociated with a call script.

FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of a graphical user interface 200for an agent-operator. As FIG. 2 shows, the interface 200 maintains aset of data fields 202 and an interactive display 204 for each call theagent-operator is currently assisting. The graphical user interfaceenables an agent-operator to assist a conversation by selecting adesired field corresponding to the call. As shown in FIG. 2, theagent-operator may select the desired field via an indicated key on akeyboard. Here, selecting a first graphical button 205 will play oneprerecorded audio file, selecting a second graphical button 207 willplay another. As one skilled in the art will recognize, there aremultiple ways for selecting the desired data field such via keystrokeutilizing a keyboard. The interface 200 further includes call handlingfunctions such as a disconnect button 206, a recording button 208 withstop 210 and start 212 control. The data fields 202 corresponding to acontact may be configured by an administrator to include or collectdifferent information depending on a particular need of a contact centeror a particular call campaign. The interface 200 additionally includes asave button 214 for writing agent-operator collected informationassociated with a contact to the database 28, and a close button 216 forclosing the interface 200. Functions included in the interface 200 maybe duplicated for use with multiple contacts simultaneously. Forexample, the data filed 202, the interactive display 204, disconnectbutton 206, a recording button 208 with stop 210 and start 212 controlmay be repeated in another window or within another module within theinterface 200 for each additional contact the agent-operator iscurrently assisting and administering the call script to. In oneembodiment, the interface 200 prerecorded audio is representedgraphically as a node in a flow chart 220, and an arrow between twonodes represents that one follows the other in the script. In oneembodiment, the flow chart 220 is expandable to enable an agent-operatorto view data associated with each node. In one embodiment of theinterface 200, a button is configured to interrupt an automated mode oran agent assist mode to operate in an agent-operator mode as describedherein below. The agent-operator mode permits direct communication fromthe agent-operator to the caller as described herein below.Alternatively, the button may be replaced or supplemented with a definedkeystroke on the keyboard.

In situations requesting the agent-operator's attention, the graphicaluser interface is configured to present an appropriate signal. Forexample, an automated voice-recognition algorithm could detect apredetermined abnormality in the conversation. One or many signals maybe used to capture an agent-operator's attention, for example, a pop-upwindow or interface module may be configured to present information tothe agent-operator and present a selected course of action such aspresent a response to a caller. In one embodiment, and for predeterminedfunctions, the graphical user interface may automatically present amessage or caller's response requiring action by the agent-operator. Iftwo or more calls need attention, they are prioritized, and if theagent-operator cannot manage these calls simultaneously, the agentindicates this to the graphical user interface through a single keystroke, after which the call is automatically sent to an agent who canmanage it at the moment. This option to transfer calls can be performedat any time and even between different physical contact centerlocations.

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary state transition graph to illustrate functionsof a call script. As one skilled in the art will recognize, a callscript details a planned dialog for communications or sequences ofcommunications between a caller and the contact center management system10 or an agent-operator. As FIG. 3 shows, a call script may be modeledas an ordered set of states 302, 306, 310, 314, 318, 322, 326, and 330and transitions to other states 303, 305, 307, 309, 311, and 313 inwhich the transition from each state includes a question or statement bythe customer and a response by the agent-operator or contact centermanagement system 10 (or in some cases, an action to be taken inresponse to the question, such as posing a question back to the user).In some implementations, the delimiter for each statement orcommunication by the caller or response by the agent-operator or contactcenter management system 10 is a period of silence or a spokeninterruption. Certain predetermined states of the call script can beassociated with multiple, predetermined states and transitions. Inoperation, selecting a state to transition to from a set of possiblestates following the call script is based upon caller input and, in somesituations, input from the agent-operator. The state-transitions of acall script may be indexed and cataloged using a predetermined datastructure such as an XML document or, in one embodiment, stored andindexed in a database structure such as SQL, for subsequent processingby an agent workstation. Segments of the call script (or states andtransitions to states) may be associated with an operating mode such asthe automated mode, the agent-operator assist mode, and theagent-operator mode. For example, one segment of the call script may beassociated with the automated mode while a second, separate call scriptsegment may be associated with the agent-operator assist mode. Asdescribed herein the agent-operator mode may be selected by theagent-operator at any time to permit direct communications from theagent-operator to the caller.

In operation, the call script is utilized by an agent-operator to managea real-time conversation with a plurality of callers. Beforeadministering the call script to callers, the agent-operatorpersonalizes a number of audio responses associated with the call scriptin the agent-operator's own voice. The prerecorded audio files areassociated with states and/or transitions to other states and mayinclude responses to questions from a caller and/or statements, forexample. Personalized statements and responses are prerecorded by theagent-operator in such a manner to enable a subsequent presentation to acaller that emulates a real-time presentation to the caller. In thisway, each statement and response presented to the caller simulates areal-time conversation by having a rhythm and cadence of a naturalconversation. The recordings may encompass all known states andtransitions associated with a call script. In this way, when a statementor response is presented to the caller, the caller is unaware that thepresentation was prerecorded. In operation, in one embodiment, thepersonalized statements and responses are stored on the database 28 foran agent-operator operating a workstation to select for presentation tothe caller. Further, the recordings may be supplemented with real-timebackground sound channeled from the physical location of theagent-operator and presented to the caller in addition to any othercommunications from the agent-operator. Including the background sound,i.e., ambient noise, enhances the simulation of a real-time presentationto the caller.

FIG. 4 shows a control scheme 400 for managing a real-time conversationwith a caller. Although the control scheme 400 is shown for managementof a single real-time conversation, multiple control schemes 400 may beexecuted in parallel enabling management of multiple real-timeconversations simultaneously. The multiple additional control schemesmay be initiated irrespective of status of another control scheme. Forexample, a first control scheme may be receiving a communication whileanother control scheme is presenting responses to a caller, as describedherein below. Although the control scheme 400 is shown as discreteelements in FIG. 4, such an illustration is for ease of description andit should be recognized that the functions performed by the controlscheme 400 may be combined in one or more devices, e.g., implemented insoftware, hardware, and/or application-specific integrated circuitry(ASIC). In the example of the contact center, for example, the controlscheme 400 may be implemented in software in each agent workstation. Theworkstations are configured to permit the agent-operators to guide oneor more callers through the call script simultaneously.

Operating the control scheme 400 at a workstation, an agent-operatorselects a call script to administer 402. The call script may be storedin the database 28 of the telephony server 12 and downloaded to theworkstation of the agent-operator. In one embodiment, a databasestructure such as SQL is used to store and link to the call script andassociated audio recordings. Additionally, a data structure file such asan XML document may contain the call script and links to associatedaudio recordings. The agent-operator personalizes statements, responsesand questions as described herein above 404. In the embodiment of acontact center, the agent-operator may initiate contact with a caller,or the caller may dial into the contact center to communicate with theagent-operator. In operation, the agent workstations receive one or morecommunications from one or more callers 406. The agent-operatoradministers the call script to the caller 408.

The control scheme 400 is configured, in one exemplary implementation,to provide three types or levels of conversation management and thesystem may switch between these during a given conversation according totraversals between transition-states of the call script. Using anautomated mode 412, the system engages the caller automaticallyexchanging information independent of an agent-operator. The automatedmode 412 may be engaged by transitioning to a segment of the call scriptassociated with the automated mode. Using an agent assist mode 410, thesystem involves an agent-operator by presenting him with the callercommunication and a number of suggested responses. The agent-operatorselects one of the suggested responses for presentation to the caller.The agent-operator can also search the system knowledge base for analternative response by entering a question into the system. In theagent assist mode, the agent does not pick up the call or interactdirectly with the caller, but nevertheless the caller is engaged in asimulated real-time, synchronous communication with the agent-operatorthrough use of prerecorded responses. Using an agent assist mode, anagent-operator engages in direct real-time communication with thecaller.

During operation, the agent-operator controls interactions and managesthe flow of dialog 409 between the caller and the contact centermanagement system 10. During predetermined segments of the call scriptagent-operators operating the workstations guide callers enabling aninformational exchange between the caller and the contact centermanagement system 10.

While operating in the agent assist mode 410, for example during apredetermined segment of the call script, an agent-operator guides thecaller through the call script by selecting statements and responses forpresentation to the caller. Predetermined segments of the call scriptcan be associated with certain predetermined states of the call scriptthat are associated with multiple, predetermined states and transitions.These states are preferably associated with the agent assist mode. Thecontrol scheme 400 identifies textual elements in the caller'scommunication 416. The control scheme 400 identifies predeterminedkeywords spoken by the caller corresponding to key concepts as describedherein below, preferably defined and indexed in the data structure filee.g., an XML file. The key concepts are used to determine apredetermined number of selectable audio responses based upon a callscript, predetermined criteria, and a confidence metric 418. In oneembodiment, the suggested responses and/or statements are ranked basedupon a confidence value. The confidence value is a metric quantifying aprobability that a particular suggested response will transmit relevantinformation in response to the key concept communicated by the callerand concurrently advance the call script towards completion. In oneembodiment, the threshold of confidence in interpreting the customer'scommunication may be adjusted based on how busy the agent-operators arewith another call.

Analyzing a caller's prior statements and responses to determine a setof suggested responses and/or statements for presentation can beaccomplished using one of multiple methods. One method includesanalyzing the caller's communications using a concept recognition engineconfigured with, in one embodiment, a speech recognition algorithm. Thespeech recognition algorithm converts spoken conversation from thecaller into text that becomes input to the concept recognition engine.The concept recognition engine analyzes the text to identify keyconcepts and/or expressions from the communications in real-time,independent of the literal wording. By integrating the conceptrecognition engine with speech recognition, the underlying systemrecognizes what the customer says by conceptually understanding what thecustomer means. The concept recognition engine may be supplemented byadditional text supplied by an agent-operator monitoring the textidentified by the speech recognition technology to better identify aconcept being communicated by the caller. The key concepts may bepredetermined or may be dynamically identified based upon historicalconversations. The key concepts may be identified using a library oftext elements and associated meaning in terms of a set of semanticfactors. In this way, concepts from incomplete or inarticulatecommunications may be matched to a key concept. Higher levelorganizations of the concepts into various structures reflecting syntaxor nearness is also possible. Key concepts identified by the conceptrecognition engine enable the formation of appropriate responses asdescribed herein below.

Responses from a caller including keywords and text elements arecollected and recorded using input from the speech recognitionalgorithm, concept recognition engine, and/or input from theagent-operator. The responses are preferably indexed according to apredetermined data structure associated with states of the call script.In one embodiment, a predetermined XML file associated with a callscript may be used to catalog caller's responses.

After identifying a key concept, a set of suggested responses isdetermined based upon the current state in the call script, associatedstates and transitions, and confidence values corresponding to theassociated states and transitions. Each suggested response correspondsto a confidence value greater than a predetermined threshold.

Determining the confidence value may be accomplished using one ofmultiple methods. A first method is based upon an association between akey concept communicated by the caller and predetermined key wordsassociated with a potential transition-state of the call script. Asdescribed hereinabove, the key concepts are associated with a library oftext elements. Potential transition-states are associated with a set ofkeywords and text elements. The greater the number of text elementsincluded in both the library associated with the key concept andincluded in a set of key words and text elements associated with atransition-state, the greater the confidence value. Keywords and textelements may be weighted in some embodiments wherein association betweencertain words or text elements results in a greater confidence valuethan association between other words or text elements. Historicalcommunication logs between callers and the contact center managementsystem 10 may be used to weigh different words and text elements and/oridentify additional words and text elements used to determine theconfidence value based upon correlation between the word and textelements and a key concept.

In operation, confidence values are determined for each transition-statelinked to the current state with respect to the call script.Transition-states corresponding to confidence value greater than apredetermined threshold are provided to the human-agent for selectionand subsequent presentation to the caller. If the caller's communicationis matched with responses associated with a low confidence value, theagent-operator may decide to rephrase or supplement the customer's keyconcept with substitute text that may result in responses associatedwith a greater confidence value.

The selectable audio responses are provided to the agent-operatoroperating the workstation 420. The agent-operator selects an appropriateaudio response 422 for real-time presentation to the caller 424.

During administration of the call script, the agent-operator and callerproceed from one transition-state to another. This traversal of asequence of states and transitions may continue until either thecustomer terminates the conversation or the call script reaches an endstate. However, errors in the text received by the concept recognitionengine and non-standard (or unexpected) questions or statements by thecaller may require intervention by an agent-operator. For example, whenthe speech recognition algorithm is unable to convert the caller'scommunication. Due to the possibility of such errors, and when noappropriate selection may be made, the agent-operator may interject ormanually intervene into the phone communication and personally respondto the communication by transitioning to the agent-operator mode 414 tocommunicate directly to the caller 426. When the agent-operatorinterjects in real-time in the phone communication to respond to thecaller, the caller is unaware of the transition from presentingprerecorded responses to presenting a real-time agent-operator's voice.The transition from presenting recordings to direct communication inreal-time is made seamless by implementing the personalized responsesdescribed herein above. Transition to the agent-operator mode can beexecuted by the agent-operator in a number of ways. For example, asingle keystroke that halts recording playback and unmutes the agent'smicrophone may be utilized in one embodiment. In one embodiment, anagent-operator can resume the agent assist mode or automated mode byselecting call a node in the graphical representation of the script onthe interface 200.

Additionally, in order to make the conversation more natural, there area number of recordings that an agent can chose to interject at anytimeduring the phone call. These prerecorded audio file are preferablyindexed in an XML file and associated with a key, although theprerecorded audio files may be indexed and stored in a databasestructure as described herein above. These recordings are more genericin nature and can be associated with many different calling campaigns.

As an example, during an exemplary call to the contact center managementsystem 10 executing an exemplary call script, the caller interacts withthe contact center management system 10 by providing information andreceiving information based upon a predetermined call script. Statementsand responses are personalized and presented in the voice of theagent-operator. When the caller advances to the predetermined segmentscripted for administration by the agent-operator, the agent-operatorselects suggested responses and/or statements to the caller forpresentation from the telephony server 12 and incorporate backgroundnoise from the physical location of the agent-operator operating theworkstation. When the suggested responses are associated with aconfidence value less than a predetermined threshold, the agent-operatormay search a system knowledge base for an alternative response byentering keywords and/or directing the system to provide an appropriateresponse. When the caller advances to the predetermined segment scriptedfor administration by the agent-operator, the statements and responsesare presented in the personalized voice of the agent-operator. Uponcompletion of the call script or termination of the call by the caller,the call ends without the caller knowing that an agent-operator selectedany of the responses presented.

The various features associate with the examples described herein andshown in the accompanying drawings can be implemented in differentexamples and implementations without departing from the scope of thepresent disclosure. Therefore, although certain specific constructionsand arrangements have been described and shown in the accompanyingdrawings, such embodiments are merely illustrative and not restrictiveof the scope of the disclosure, since various other additions andmodifications to, and deletions from, the described embodiments will beapparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. Thus, the scope of thedisclosure is only determined by the literal language, and legalequivalents, of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:
 1. A processing system that provides a service to anagent-operator, said system comprising a processor and a memory, andbeing programmed, via executable program instructions, to perform amethod that comprises: obtaining a plurality of selectable prerecordedaudio responses associated with a call script, wherein the call scriptcomprises a number of segments, the segments associated with theselectable prerecorded audio responses; interacting with a caller;communicating to the caller a prerecorded audio response provided from adatabase, wherein the communicated prerecorded audio response isselected from among the plurality of selectable prerecorded audioresponses; and communicating to the caller live ambient background noisechanneled from a workplace associated with the agent-operator, whereinthe live ambient background noise channeled from the workplaceassociated with the agent-operator is mixed with the communicatedprerecorded audio response provided from the database.
 2. The processingsystem of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: selecting amode of interaction with the caller from among an automated mode, anagent-operator assist mode, and an agent-operator mode.
 3. A methodoperational at an agent workstation for managing a real-timeconversation, comprising: interacting with a caller; communicating tothe caller a prerecorded audio response provided from a database,wherein the communicated prerecorded audio response is selected fromamong a plurality of selectable prerecorded audio responses associatedwith a call script, wherein the call script comprises a number ofsegments, the segments associated with the selectable prerecorded audioresponses; and communicating to the caller live ambient background noisechanneled from a workplace associated with the agent-operator, whereinthe live ambient background noise channeled from the workplaceassociated with the agent-operator is mixed with the communicatedprerecorded audio response provided from the database.
 4. The method ofclaim 3, further comprising: selecting a mode of interaction with thecaller from among an automated mode, an agent-operator assist mode, andan agent-operator mode.
 5. A non-transitory processor-readable storagemedium storing processor-executable programming for causing a processingcircuit to: obtain a plurality of selectable prerecorded audio responsesassociated with a call script, wherein the call script comprises anumber of segments, the segments associated with the selectableprerecorded audio responses; communicate to a caller a prerecorded audioresponse provided from a database, wherein the communicated prerecordedaudio response is selected from among the plurality of selectableprerecorded audio responses; and communicate to the caller live ambientbackground noise channeled from a workplace associated with theagent-operator, wherein the live ambient background noise channeled fromthe workplace associated with the agent-operator is mixed with thecommunicated prerecorded audio response provided from the database. 6.The processor-readable storage medium of claim 5, further comprisingprocessor-executable programming for causing a processing circuit to:select a mode of interaction with the caller from among an automatedmode, an agent-operator assist mode, and an agent-operator mode.
 7. Amethod for interacting with a contact center, the method comprising:communicating with the contact center via a communications device, thecontact center utilizing a call script comprising a number of segments,the segments associated with a number of nodes, the nodes associatedwith a number of prerecorded audio responses; receiving via thecommunications device a prerecorded audio response played from adatabase of the contact center; and receiving via the communicationsdevice live ambient background noise channeled from a workplaceassociated with the contact center, wherein the live ambient backgroundnoise channeled from the workplace associated with the agent-operator ismixed by the contact center with the prerecorded audio response providedfrom the database of the contact center.